Best Women's Shoes for Travel

Pack shoes by the job they do, not by the pair

Shoes for travelling are where a tidy suitcase tends to fall apart. Each pair takes up room and adds weight, and the itinerary always seems to ask for one more. The way out is to stop thinking in outfits and start thinking in jobs: the pair that walks all day, the pair that looks dressed for dinner, the pair for heat and water. The best shoes for travel are the ones that cover your actual days in as few pairs as possible. Good travel shoes are also the ones you are still happy to be wearing on day six.

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• Wear: Dovira Woven Embossed Flats · an embossed woven design with a lambskin lining and insole, breathable for everyday wear

• Wear: Talivienne Suede Bow Leather Mary Janes · cowhide suede with a front bow, double straps for a secure fit, height-boosting insoles and a padded back

• Wear: Celina Weaved Flats · a soft lambskin upper with breathable microfibre backing and a lightweight slip-on construction

• Wear: Elmira M.Ori Cage Slide Sandals · a cage-front slide with a microfibre upper, lambskin lining and a rubber outsole

How many pairs of shoes should you pack?

Three pairs covers most trips, with two enough for a short one. That gives you one shoe per job without a spare sitting untouched at the bottom of the case, which is what makes them the best travel shoes for women: each one has a clear role.

• The walking pair. A closed flat you can wear for a full day of sightseeing. This is the pair you break in before you leave and the one that goes on your feet for the flight.

• The second pair. A different shape that changes the look of an outfit and gives your feet a break from the first. A Mary Jane works well here, because the strap sits differently on the foot from a slip-on flat. Mary Janes are also easy to dress up for an evening.

• The warm-weather pair. A flat sandal or slide for hot afternoons, hotel pools and the walk to breakfast. Flat sandals make easy travel sandals, since they take very little room and go with almost everything in a holiday bag.

If you’re going for a short weekend in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, you can afford to drop the middle pair and focus on two core pairs (e.g. flats and sandals). 

For a week or more, it is usually the walking pair that does the most work, so that is where to spend the most care.

Match the pair to the trip

The destination changes the job each shoe has to do.

• City breaks in Japan and Korea. Expect long days on foot and plenty of stairs and train platforms. Some restaurants, temples and traditional inns also ask you to take your shoes off, so a slip-on saves time at the door. The Celina's slip-on construction suits this well.

• Europe. Cobbled streets and uneven pavements suit a padded insole and a fit that stays put, which is where a strap helps. The Talivienne has double straps and a padded back for exactly this. Suede is best kept out of the rain, so check the forecast before choosing it for the day. Autumn and winter trips are cooler than anything Singapore gives you, so a closed shoe is a more comfortable choice there than an open one.

• Beach holidays. A slide such as the Elmira does most of the work and takes very little room in the case. Keep a closed flat in the case for the airport and for dinner.

• Short-haul Asia. Bangkok, Bali and Ho Chi Minh City feel close to home in climate. A breathable flat, like the Dovira, covers the day, and a sandal handles the rest.

Walking all day in a new city

A city-break day on foot can add up to a lot of walking.

• Break the shoes in before you go. Wear the pair for a few short outings at home so that the first long walk is not also the first wear.

• Look for cushioning and a secure fit. A padded insole and a strap or a snug slip-on construction keep the foot steady over distance. Walking shoes for travel do not have to be trainers: a flat with a padded insole can do the job. For what makes comfortable travel shoes in the first place, see our guide to comfortable women's shoes.

• Think about a sneakerina for the heaviest walking days. If an itinerary is mostly on foot, a sneakerina gives you a laced or strapped hold and a flexible sole in a shape that still goes with a dress.

• Plan a swap. Alternating between two pairs across a day gives each a rest and changes where the shoe sits on your foot.

Which foldable ballet flats are the most comfortable? Start with the insole. Pazzion's Givannia foldable flats, for example, have a thick padded insole, and the Serena's lining is cushioned lambskin. Check the size against the Pazzion size guide before you order, since travelling is a bad time to find out a pair is the wrong size.

Foldable flats as the spare pair

Foldable shoes solve the packing problem directly. Foldable flats make practical travel flats because they fold flat and go into a handbag or a cabin bag. Pazzion's foldable flats are made in lambskin and built to fold flat and spring back into shape. Three situations where they earn their place:

• Dinner after a day of walking. Swap out of your walking pair in the lift and into a dressier flat with a pearl, crystal or bow detail. The Serena Braided Bow Foldable Flats are one minimal option.

• The cabin bag backup. The Helene Crystal Buckle Foldable Flats' comes with a matching carry pouch, which keeps a spare pair separate from everything else in your bag.

• Long days out. Folding a spare pair into your day bag means you always have somewhere to switch to if your feet want a change.

Are foldable flats comfortable? Yes, when the insole is padded and the fit is right. Pazzion's foldables are as comfortable for all-day wear, and as a second pair they let your walking flat take the longest days.

At the airport and on the flight

Where security asks for shoes off, a slip-on flat or a strap you can open in one movement makes that part quick, and it saves you sitting on the floor with a laced pair in a crowded terminal.

After a few hours of sitting on a flight, a little extra room in the shoe is welcome. A slip-on or an adjustable strap lets you loosen the fit, and a spare foldable pair in your cabin bag gives you something comfortable to change into for the walk through arrivals. If you are wondering what the best shoes to wear on an airplane are, a soft, closed slip-on or a strapped flat is a good place to start, since it is easy to take off and easy to put back on.

Packing shoes so they keep their shape

A flat that arrives squashed is a waste of a good pair.

• Stuff each shoe. Socks, chargers or a rolled belt keep the toe box from crushing under the weight of the case.

• Bag the soles. Put each pair in a shoe bag or a shower cap so the soles do not touch clothes, and place them along the edge of the case rather than on top of everything.

• Keep suede dry. If you are carrying a suede pair like the Talivienne, pack it away from damp swimwear. When you are home, the shoe care collection has a leather shoe cleaner for freshening your leather pairs along the way.

• Use a pouch for foldables. A carry pouch, like the one that comes with the Helene, keeps a folded pair from being pressed under something heavy.

Ready to pack?

Start with the walking pair. Browse flats for that one, then add a spare pair of foldable flats for evenings and the flight. If you are planning the rest of the holiday wardrobe, read our guide to espadrilles, from beach to brunch for a warm-weather pair that works beyond the pool.